Just sealed the deal on a Guernsey milk cow

[George Collins]

The day is done. The afternoon milking produced another 2.25 gallons. So, all total, we got ~ 5.25 gallons. I'm happy. Ella still isn't overly enthused with the whole process. Hobbles were again necessary and even with them on and us better at handling her, she still gave more trouble than this morning. I think she is too used to having a fan blowing on her while she gives her milk.

Thankfully, my wife has gotten into this new venture and is doing all of our packing up before and washing up afterwards. Also, she made "Farmer's cheese" today and is getting ready right now to make our first run of butter. She also ordered all of the things that we don't yet have to start making other, various types of cheese (cheddar, mozerella, etc.)

[George Collins]

This past weekend, my two oldest boys still living at home went catfishing in the Mississippi Delta at a place called Lake Washington. They didn't catch enough cats to justify leaving the county much less the three hour drive it actually takes to get there. But then, that's a whole other story. Point being, neither of them were here for Ella's arrival nor our initial attempts at milking her. What's worse though, Youngblood wasn't here to help guide me through our initial trials. However, as noted earlier, my girls and I. with a hearty dose of consultation from my mother, somehow muddled through it with no one, or no cow, dying.

Today however, about noon, all my trained-up girl help left to go to the International Ballet Competition in Jackson Mississippi. That left me with a perfectly green crew and, thank God, Youngblood.

Now keep in mind, Youngblood grew up milking cows during a time when the cow didn't have a vote. When the farmer got ready for the milk, come hell, high water or ornery cows, he took it. If the cow was gentle, so much the better. If not, she yielded; not the farmer. And by the time this evening's milking rolled around, Youngblood had already seen us struggle through the process a few times.

However, after a well-timed begging, he agreed to help. There he was, slow-footin it out into Ella's pen just as I was about to apply the hobbles. He simply said, "No." I froze in place. He walked over to the fence, got a scrap piece of rope that happened to be laying handy, eye-balled the appropriate length and with one quick swipe of his razor sharp knife, he had, what he deemed to be, the perfect length of rope. He strode up to her with a lifetime's experience bolstering his confidence and quickly affixed Ella's hind legs together so closely that when she did try to walk, she looked like a ballerina on point.

He next saw that more restraint was needed so he had me tie her halter to a post. During most of this afternoon's milking, ol girl was stretched out about as far as a cow can be stretched out without tipping over. (Cow Tipping anyone?)

We got every drop of milk.

Total haul on the day was over 6 gallons. I can't be sure because Youngblood demanded payment in milk for his chickens so I poured him out a sizable quantity thinking that I was money, er milk, well spent.

[George Collins]

That right there is what Youngblood calls "cow kickers."



And they work!

Highly recommended!

[George Collins]

So Ella has become progressively more difficult to milk. At first, she developed what looked like ant bites all over her tits. Of course, at first, I thought she may have laid down in an ant bed. However, everyday the "ant bites" for mor numerous. Then yesterday, one if the ant bites starting growing. At a minimum, that meant I was dealing with an infectious process.

My wife was the one that ultimately made what we believe to be the correct diagnosis - udder impetigo.

The indicated treatment is Wound Kote which thankfully I have on hand.

This is what udder impetigo looks like in the initial stages.



This is what it looked like this morning at 7:00.





On a happier note, when we milked on the morning of July 2nd, we exceeded the 100 gallon mark. She is averaging 5.65 gallons per day and the pigs are loving them some dairy.

[Myrth]

I am enjoying this account. It reminds me of my struggles with a dairy goat who was the biggest PIA I ever willingly introduced into my life. But oh the delicious dairy products she provided! Sometimes I think about once again venturing into dairy, but I don't get any help with dairy chores, so it is a huge undertaking for one person. Enjoy your cow!

[matt walker]

I concur, this is great first hand experience that I am learning a lot from. My goodness, that is a lot of milk a day!

[mannytheseacow]

Good lord, George, 5 gallons a day is a ton of milk. What are you doing with it all?

[George Collins]

Our youngest litter of warned pigs get, at a minimum, 2 gallons of skimmed milk per day.

We, for the first time in our lives, have green lighted the milk jug. The kids can have all they want.

We have made clabber with some of the whole milk and use that sometimes instead of buttermilk to make biscuits.

We give away probably 3 gallons per week. (I call it politicking.)

My wife usually skims the cream from all of the milk and has used it so far to make:
- Sour cream
- BUTTER! LOTS AND LOTS OF BUTTER! (And as a byproduct, buttermilk!)
- Creamer for our coffee
- Cream cheese
- Farmers cheese
- Mascerpone cheese

Ice cream is on the list of things we are going to be trying in the near future.

And yes, like everything else that manages to avoid the stench of industrial farming, homemade milk tastes substantially better.